Belgium will recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly this month, according to the country’s foreign minister. It comes as France, Britain, Canada and Australia have all announced that they were also prepared to recognize the state of Palestine at the UNGA. Belgium also plans to impose 12 sanctions on Israel, which include a ban on all products from illegal settlements in the West Bank and a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies.
This comes as the Trump administration faces growing criticism for suspending visas for Palestinian passport holders, including for Palestinian officials set to attend the annual U.N. General Assembly.